Search NEL Online

Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 711-718 PubMed PMID: 17187017 Citation  Keywords:  Biological Evolution, Choice Behavior, Dominance-Subordination, Female, Homosexuality:psychology, Humans, Internet, Male, Masochism:psychology, Power (Psychology), Psychological Theory, Sadism:psychology, Statistics, Nonparametric,.   

OBJECTIVES: Dominance and submissiveness represent strong sexual arousal stimuli for a considerable part of population. In contrast to men's sexual dominance and women's sexual submissiveness, the opposite preferences represent an evolutionary enigma. Here, we studied prevalence and strength of particular preferences in general population by Internet-trap-method.r />r /> DESIGN: The subjects who clicked the banner displayed in the web interface of e-mail boxes were allowed to choose icons with homosexual or heterosexual partner of different hierarchical position.r />r /> RESULTS: Dominant partner was chosen by 13.8% men and 20.5% women, and submissive partner by 36.6% men and 19.8% women. Homosexual partners were chosen by 7.3% men and 12.2% women. The response times for the submissive and dominant stimuli did not differ while for the equal-status stimuli were significantly longer, suggesting that part of subjects with equal-status preferences probably intentionally mask their natural interests.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Large number of people who chose unequal sexual partner suggests that hierarchical status plays important role in human mating system....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 741-744 PubMed PMID: 17187016 Citation  Keywords:  Adrenal Cortex Hormones:therapeutic use, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anti-Infective Agents:therapeutic use, Chi-Square Distribution, Chronic Disease, Complement C3:analysis, Conjunctivitis:complications, Dry Eye Syndromes:complications, Female, Humans, Immun.   

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was a clinical analysis of patients with symptoms typical of pemphigoid.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHODS: 21 patients were enrolled on the study within the period 1988-2004. The frequency and type of ophthalmological and extraocular symptoms and accompanying diseases were assessed. The analysis also contains immunological findings as well as administered treatment.r />r /> RESULTS: Ophthalmological changes were detected in 100% of examined patients with pemphigoid. The most frequent were dry eye syndrome and conjunctivitis. Immunohistochemical tests revealed the presence of antibodies in 68.2% of the examined cases. All patients required specific treatment--local, general and surgical. Despite the administered therapy the development of cicatricial changes was observed.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Chronic conjunctivitis and keratitis require diagnostics into pemphigoid. Intensive therapy is necessary in patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) because of high risk of blindness. Delayed diagnostics disable immunohistochemical confirmation of disease....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 818-821 PubMed PMID: 17187015 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Adult, CA-125 Antigen:analysis, Dermoid Cyst:diagnosis, Female, Humans, Laparoscopy:methods, Middle Aged, Ovarian Neoplasms:diagnosis, Retrospective Studies, Treatment Outcome,.   

OBJECTIVE: Ovarian dermoid cysts are one of the most common germ cell tumors in women. The aim of the study was to analyze the use of laparoscopy in dermoid cysts treatment in women of reproductive age.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHODS: The studied material consisted of 95 patients, aged 17-49, operated on because of dermoid cyst suspicion at the 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Warsaw, in the years 1996-2005. All the patients had pre-operative CA-125 antigen evaluation and transvaginal sonography with Doppler assessment of the ovarian pathology. All the women with tumors less than 8 cm in diameter were qualified for laparoscopic management.r />r /> RESULTS: The majority of patients were below 40 years of age (86 women; 90.5%). Out of 95 studied cases, 93 (97.9%) had the cyst removed during laparoscopy, mostly elective. Dermoid cyst enucleation was the most commonly applied procedure, while oophorectomy was the least frequent. The whole gonad was removed in 33 patients (34.7%), generally because of the total loss of functional ovarian tissue surrounding the cyst (28 women; 29.5%). All the extracted material was submitted for a histopathological examination--the diagnosis of mature ovarian cystic teratoma was confirmed in 100% of cases. The correspondence of pre-operative sonographic imaging and intraoperative macroscopic assessment was evaluated. In 85 (89.5%) operated patients an ovarian tumor was earlier described as a dermoid cyst.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic treatment of ovarian dermoid cysts is a safe method, offering many advantages in comparison to classical surgery. However, proper early qualification, based on medical history, gynecological and sonographic examination is of great importance....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Clinical Trial 2006; 27(6): 813-817 PubMed PMID: 17187014 Citation  Keywords:  Adult, Female, Genital Diseases, Female:complications, Humans, Hysteroscopy, Infertility, Female:diagnosis, Laparoscopy, Pelvis:diagnostic imaging, Ultrasonography, Uterus:diagnostic imaging,.   

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze the use of endoscopic procedures in the group of infertile patients.r />r /> MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study material consisted of 636 patients, aged 20-41. They all had endoscopic procedures performed (laparoscopy and/or hysteroscopy) due to infertility, and were qualified for the procedure after a gynecological examination and ultrasound scan. The study group was divided into subgroups of primary and secondary sterility and endoscopic procedures were then analyzed.r />r /> RESULTS: A total of 724 endoscopic procedures were performed on 636 patients. Eighty eight women had both hysteroscopy and laparoscopy performed, 476 had only laparoscopy, while 72--only hysteroscopy. Women diagnosed due to primary sterility more often had no visible abnormalities in the pelvic region (30%) and patent oviducts than those with secondary sterility. The remaining 70% more often had ovaries typical for polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis. However, periadnexal adhesions and tubal impotency were more common in the group of secondary sterility. As to hysteroscopy, women with primary sterility more often had congenital uterine malformations, while submucosal myomas and intrauterine adhesions were less common in that group. All the surgical procedures performed during laparoscopies were analyzed. Tubal patency assessment and ovarian drilling were significantly more often performed in the subgroup of primary sterility. All intrauterine pathologies were treated during hysteroscopy.r />r /> CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy and hysteroscopy play an important role as both diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the infertility treatment centers....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 695-701 PubMed PMID: 17187013 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Butyrates:pharmacology, Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide:genetics, Capsaicin:pharmacology, Cells, Cultured, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Ganglia, Spinal:cytology, Irritants:pharmacology, Neurons:drug effects, Neurosecretion:drug effects, RNA,.   

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether butyrate increases substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) release evoked by capsaicin from primary cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons.r />r /> METHODS: DRG was dissected out from embryonic 15-day-old Wistar rat and cultured as dissociate cells for 24 h then exposed to butyrate (0.01 mmol/L, 0.1 mmol/L, 1 mmol/L, 10 mmol/L, respectively) for another 48 h. The neurons cultured continuously in media served as normal control. All above cultured samples were processed for detecting expression of mRNA for SP, CGRP and vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1) of DRG neurons by RT-PCR, and VR1 protein expression by Western blot. SP and CGRP basal release levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). After that, the DRG cells for RIA were stimulated by capsaicin (300 nmol/L) for 5 min and the culture media were harvested for detecting SP and CGRP release levels by RIA. The neurons exposed to vehicle solution served as vehicle controls.r />r /> RESULTS: Exposure of butyrate on DRG neurons at higher concentrations (1 mmol/L, 10 mmol/L) for 48 h increased expression mRNA for SP and CGRP than that at lower concentrations (0.01 mmol/L, 0.1 mmol/L) and normal control (P<0.001). VR1 mRNA and VR1 protein expression increased in a dose-dependent manner after exposure of different concentrations of butyrate. Butyrate did not alter the basal release, significantly enhanced neuropeptide release evoked by capsaicin. SP and CGRP release levels in the culture media exposed by butyrate at higher concentrations (1 mmol/L, 10 mmol/L) for 48 h and then stimulated by capsaicin were higher than that at lower concentrations (0.01 mmol/L, 0.1 mmol/L) (P<0.001). The exposure of vehicle solution did not produce any increase of SP and CGRP release from primary cultured DRG neurons.r />r /> DISCUSSION: Butyrate may promote the expression of mRNA for SP, CGRP and increase sensitivity of capsaicin on SP and CGRP release from primary cultured rat dorsal root ganglion neurons. The promotion of VR1 mRNA and VR1 protein expression by butyrate implicated that VR1 may be involved in the mechanisms of sensory neuropeptide release evoked by capsaicin....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Journal Article 2006; 27(6): 807-812 PubMed PMID: 17187012 Citation  Keywords:  Animals, Cell Differentiation:physiology, Cell Line, Tumor, Cell Shape, Mice, Neuroblastoma, Neurons:cytology, Neuroprotective Agents:administration & dosage, Oxidative Stress:physiology, Stem Cells:cytology, Testosterone:administration & dosage, Tyrosine.   

OBJECTIVES: Using undifferentiated mouse neuroblastoma cells (C1300), we have previously observed that testosterone (T) exerts a neuroprotective action against oxidative stress. Nitrogen intermediates induce the production of 3-nitro-L-tyrosine (3NT), an amino acid analogue involved in many neurodegenerative disorders. The aim of our work is to investigate T capability on C1300 cell differentiation. It is also evaluated whether differentiation could mitigate the nitrosative effects of 3NT.r />r /> METHODS: The effects of both T and 3NT were studied on an undifferentiated cell line of neural origin (C1300). For this purpose, cell cultures underwent morphometric investigation, blot analyses and catalase activity assay. All data obtained were expressed as mean+/-SD and tested by one-way ANOVA or Student's t test.r />r /> RESULTS: The results were compared with those gathered by means of N6,2'-O-dibutyryl-adenosine-3',5'-cyclic-mono-phosphate (db-cAMP), a well-known differentiating agent. T-exposed cells showed an irregular shape and exhibited long branching cytoplasmic extensions, which were longer than in db-cAMP cells. Moreover, T-exposure induced an increase in the expression of tyrosinated and acetylated alpha-tubulin while 3NT-incorporation into tubulin was markedly reduced. The action of antioxidant defence systems, namely catalase activity, was enhanced in cells exposed to T.r />r /> CONCLUSION: This work highlighted the effects of db-cAMP on differentiation and neuroprotection, but even indicated that T exposure induced differentiation in C1300 cells and this process matches a significant neuroprotective effect. This action seemed to be more effective than in db-cAMP-treated cells. T is suggested, like other substances having antioxidant properties, to be of potential interest in the experimental therapy of neuropathological conditions....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Case Reports 2006; 27(6): 725-728 PubMed PMID: 17187011 Citation  Keywords:  Antineoplastic Agents:therapeutic use, Breast Neoplasms:drug therapy, Carcinoma, Medullary:drug therapy, Choroid Neoplasms:drug therapy, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Palliative Care:methods, Photochemotherapy:methods, Photosensitizing Agents:therapeutic u.   

: A 55-year old woman with growing unilateral subfoveal choroidal metastasis of breast carcinoma was treated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin. Best corrected visual acuity remained stable during the whole follow-up of 6 months. Tumor flattened from 2.2 mm to 0 mm on ultrasound one month after the therapy. PDT with verteporfin appears to be the best tolerated method for palliative treatment of growing subfoveal choroidal metastasis of the breast carcinoma....

Read abstract  Full text PDF

Clinical Trial 2006; 27(6): 833-838 PubMed PMID: 17187010 Citation  Keywords:  Adolescent, Androgen Antagonists:therapeutic use, Autistic Disorder:drug therapy, Chelating Agents:therapeutic use, Child, Child Behavior:drug effects, Cognition:drug effects, Female, Humans, Leuprolide:therapeutic use, Male, Metals, Heavy:urine, Severity.   

BACKGROUND: A medical hypothesis has suggested that some autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may result from interactions between the methionine cycle-transsulfuration and androgen pathways following exposure to mercury.r />r /> METHODS: The IRB of the Institute for Chronic Illnesses approved the present study. A novel treatment was utilized combining LUPRON (leuprolide acetate, TAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and CHEMET (meso-2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid--DMSA, McNeil Consumer Products Company) on 11 consecutive children with ASDs.r />r /> RESULTS: A significant (p<0.01) overall improvement from the 70-79th percentile of severity (median baseline score=87) at baseline to the 40-49th percentile of severity (median end of study period score=63) at the end of the study was observed for patients treated for a median of approximately 4 months. Significant improvements in sociability, cognitive awareness, behavior, and clinical symptoms/behaviors of hyperandrogenemia were also observed. Significant decreases in blood androgens and increases in urinary heavy metal concentrations were observed. Minimal drug adverse effects were found.r />r /> CONCLUSION: This study provides the first clinical evidence for the benefit that combined anti-androgen and anti-heavy metal therapy may have on some children with ASDs. Additional studies should examine androgen and heavy metal mechanisms of action in ASDs, and future ASD treatment protocols should consider androgens and heavy metals....

Read abstract  Full text PDF